Whole of Syria Education

In September 2014, three separate operations – the country operation in Syria and the cross-border operations from Turkey and Jordan – were brought together into a single response framework. In October 2014, partners from these three Hubs came together to draft the 2015 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and the 2015 Syria Strategic Response Plan (SRP). One united appeal for Syria was launched. In February 2015, the coordination of Whole of Syria (WoS) was formalized with the implementation of the 2015 SRP.

The overall goal of the Whole of Syria (WoS) Education Focal Point(s) is to ensure coherence and consistency of humanitarian action in Syria across the Hubs in Damascus, Gaziantep and Amman. For Education, the necessity for this role is clearly highlighted by the No Lost Generation (NLG) Initiative. The NLG Initiative underlines that strategic investments in the education of children affected by the Syria crisis can provide them with the skills and sense of civic responsibility needed to help rebuild their society. The need for a well evidenced, articulated, coherent and costed strategy across the three Hubs to rebuilding education in Syria is paramount and the WoS approach gives an opportunity to help make this a reality.

The role of the WoS Education Focal Point is to provide support to the Hubs by facilitating WoS analysis, planning and reporting and ensuring coherence and harmonization of standards across the three Hubs. UNICEF and Save the Children have been selected as the Co-Focal Points through consultation with the three Hubs. Both organizations are co-leads of the Global Education Cluster and bring in the necessary experience and expertise.

Latest Updates

The Whole of Syria (WoS) is seeking a second round of proposals for the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) First response program entitled “Emergency Education response for the IDP crisis in North West and North East Syria”, which has been approved for funding from Education Cannot Wait (ECW), a first global fund to prioritize education in humanitarian action. The WoS has been selected among the first recipients to be awarded and UNICEF was appointed as grantee. The actual programme management and decision making over grant funds and programme direction will be jointly undertaken by the WoS Education Coordinators (UNICEF and Save the Children International). Funds will be administered from UNICEF to partners using UNICEF's financial systems, and applicable rules and regulations, including those relating to procurement as well as the selection and assessment of Implementing Partners.

"I learn" self-learning project launched by Ghiras Foundation, enables boys and girls to access education, where escalation of attacks on educational facilities, the lack of safe educational environments, as well as some social norms and traditions relating to the education of girls, in addition to economic difficulties has led to large number of children out of school.

The Whole of Syria (WoS) is seeking proposals for its program entitled “Strengthening the education system inside Syria towards sustainable delivery of equitable, quality and protective education services for all children”, which has been approved for funding from Education Cannot Wait (ECW), a first global fund to prioritize education in humanitarian action. The purpose of the Call for Expression of Interest is to identify eligible CSOs or a consortium of them for prospective partnership at the WoS level with UNICEF. Eligible CSOs are invited to submit proposals for partnership to support achievement of results for children outlined in the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Syria.

Why the Safe Schools Declaration? ALL children have the right to a safe education. Around the world, schools are attacked or being occupied by military forces in conflict zones... Sports fields become battlefields. Classrooms become munitions rooms. This has a devastating effect on children. It endangers their lives, their teachers’ lives, and denies hundreds of thousands of children their right to education. The Safe Schools Declaration is a political commitment to protect education during armed conflict, ensuring the safety of a country’s future. So far 55 countries have shown their support by endorsing it.